Ghana’s Black Stars Face Must-Win Match Against Chad Today

ACCRA, Ghana — The Black Stars of Ghana will take on Chad today, March 21, 2025, in a critical match in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium. With their recent failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the team faces immense pressure to secure a victory against the bottom-ranked Chad.

Coach Otto Addo is poised to field his strongest lineup in response to the mounting criticism the team has received after going six matches without a win. Lawrence Ati-Zigi is expected to retain his place as goalkeeper, supported defensively by Alexander Djiku and Mohammed Salisu. Full-backs Gideon Mensah and Kingsley Schindler will round out the defensive unit.

In midfield, Thomas Partey and Abu Francis will hold the central and defensive positions, respectively, with Mohammed Kudus playing as the attacking midfielder. Ernest Nuamah and Jordan Ayew are anticipated to flank Antoine Semenyo, who will lead the attacking front.

The expected starting XI includes: Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Kingsley Schindler, Alexander Djiku, Mohammed Salisu, Gideon Mensah, Thomas Partey, Abu Francis, Mohammed Kudus, Ernest Nuamah, Antoine Semenyo, and Jordan Ayew.

Ghana enters this match with momentum from previous qualifiers, where they achieved back-to-back victories against Mali and the Central African Republic in June 2024. However, their ongoing winless streak and critics’ concerns have cast doubt on the team’s ability to perform against Chad, who is also struggling, having lost five and drawn three of their last eight matches.

Dr. Randy Abbey, the Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, expressed confidence in the team’s preparation and ability to win. He acknowledged the fans’ waning enthusiasm but believes that a victory today will help regain their trust. “We have confidence in the team, and we believe that we will win to regain the trust of Ghanaians,” Dr. Abbey said during an interview with Original FM.

The encounter marks the first competitive meeting between Ghana and Chad, adding an extra layer of significance to the fixture. As the group qualifies for the World Cup, a victory could propel Ghana to the top of the standings after Madagascar‘s recent win over the Central African Republic.

Jordan Ayew, the Black Stars’ captain, addressed concerns about internal team dynamics, referring to them as a family despite reports of cliques. “We are not best friends because everyone is different, and we all have people we are closer to. But there is no problem or friction. We’re like brothers,” Ayew stated in an interview with Joy Sports.

As the players take the field today, all eyes will be on their performance to see if they can improve their fortunes in the qualifying campaign and silence the growing chorus of skepticism from fans and critics alike.